


Idiots Part IV

by JadeMoon



Series: Idiots [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Dumbasses, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, Missed all the signs, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 13:59:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeMoon/pseuds/JadeMoon
Summary: Agent Thirteen isn't new to SHIELD, she's been with them for more than half her life. She's made every effort to NOT make friends because people suck and they stab you in the back the first chance they get. She's been quite successful until she gets stationed at the Avenger's compound. There, things start to unravel for her and she finds herself breaking her own rules. Rules she put in place to protect herself. She's caught off guard by the one and only Captain Rogers and things just spiral from there.They're both idiots. You'll see. Then we may add a third idiot, but Barnes is by far the brightest of the three.





	Idiots Part IV

Hayley finishes up with training and is on her way out of the room when she sees Sergeant Barnes approaching. He gives her a shy smile. 

“Steve in there still?” he asks. 

“Yes, Sir.”

He nods his head and they part ways. Something tells her she won’t be seeing Steve the rest of the day.

Hayley was right. She didn’t see or hear from Steve after that. She did the weapons training and then spent more time with Maria working on that project. Maria wasn’t feeling it today, though, something else had her distracted and that distraction finally took priority over what they were doing. Hayley was subsequently dismissed. 

That empty feeling was starting to build rapidly again. She heads to the common area kitchen to see if she can stifle that feeling with donuts. 

She’s about halfway through her donut when Tony Stark wanders into the kitchen. He stares at her while he fixes himself a cup of coffee.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. Tony Stark,” he says shoving his hand at her. She wipes the powdered sugar off of her hands and shakes his. 

“Do you have a name?” he asks. 

“Agent Thirteen.”

“I find it hard to believe your parents named you that. Possible, but not likely. Try again.”

“Haley Stone, Sir.”

“You’re the one that everyone’s talking about,” he says with a huge grin. Hayley cringes inside. 

“Sir?”

“Yeah, you and Steve are the talk of the town. I’m surprised he’s dating an agent.”

“Sir, we aren’t dating.”

“Are you sure?” Tony taunts.

“Yes, sir.”

“Hmph,” Tony grunts as he sips his coffee. He stews on something for a bit as Hayley cleans up. 

“I’m having a party. It’s a charity thing. You’re going, right?”

Hayley freezes. This is new. A party? Does she accept? She’s just a goddamn agent…

“Hello, Hayley,” Stark calls to her and waves like she’s far away.

“I hadn’t planned on it, no, sir.”

“Please stop with this  _ sir  _ shit. It makes me feel old.”

“Yes, Si--Mr. Stark.”

“Whatever. You’re going. Get a dress. Red would look good on you.”

Hayley looks at him in stunned disbelief. 

“Blink, Hayley Stone. You’ll live longer,” he deadpans.

“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

“Oh god. Do you have a personality hidden in there somewhere or is this why Steve likes you so much?”

Hayley bites her tongue.

“Must be why he likes you. You’re as uptight as he is. Red dress. The party is Friday night. I expect to see you there, Agent Stone. Go on, get out of here,” he says nodding towards the door and her means of escape. 

She exits the room as casually as she can trying to get over the fact that Stark called her  _ Agent Stone _ . She’s only ever been referred to as Agent Thirteen when speaking with other team members or higher ups. Occasionally someone would call her by her proper name, but the two were never mixed. Agent Stone. 

And what the hell is she supposed to do about this party?

“HAYLEY!”

Hayley is yanked from her thoughts at the sound of Wanda’s voice. You don’t want to be lonely? Wish granted. Here ya go.

Wanda is with Vision (of course) and she looks absolutely thrilled to see Hayley. Hayley doesn’t know how to process this. Steve’s the only one who’s ever really been excited to see her.

“How are you? I heard you were injured. Let me see,” Wanda says immediately going for the remnants of the knot on Hayley’s head. 

“I’m alright,” she replies as Wanda examines her. 

“I’ve been waiting for Steve to stop hanging all over you so we could hang out. I promised you dinner and never got a chance to make good on it,” Wanda says as she steps back from her examination of Hayley’s head. 

“You don’t have to--”

“Oh, but I want to,” Wanda interjects. “How have you been? How do you like being here?”

Hayley looks at Vision with an idiotic hope he’ll intervene and gather Wanda to himself again. He just seems to be observing them and unwilling to help. 

“I’m alright. I...it’s fine here,” Hayley says struggling to figure out what to say. 

“Come on, Hayley, relax. We aren’t bad people. Vis’, let me spend some time with her. I’ll see you in a while, okay?”

He nods and kisses Wanda lovingly on the head. Hayley wonders what that’s like. If Steve would ever do that to her. That thought scares the living hell out of her and she pushes it away as fast as she can.

Wanda loops her arm through Hayley’s and starts pulling her down the hall. Hayley follows because what is she going to say or do to get out of this now?

“Did you hear about Tony’s shindig on Friday?” Wanda asks as she takes Hayley outside. They’re in the courtyard and the fragrant air is a blessing. 

“I did. Mr. Stark told me.”

“Was he in the kitchen?” Wanda asks. “He was told to stay away from the donuts. He eats them all.”

Hayley finds this amusing and laughs. 

“He was in the kitchen,” she confirms. Wanda groans.

“No donuts now. He’s like a child trapped in a man’s body sometimes. He told you about the party?”

“He did.”

“What did he say?” Wanda asks. They’re leaving the courtyard. Where the fuck is this girl taking her?

“To wear a red dress.”

Wanda stops and looks Hayley over for a few moments.

“He’s right. You would look fantastic in red. Do you have a dress?”

“I don’t think I’m going.”

Wanda looks shocked.

“Why? Tony’s parties are the talk of the town. Steve will be there,” she says with a wink.

“We’re just friends,” Hayley says as if she’s on autopilot with that answer. 

“Okay, he’s still going to be there. So will Bucky and I’m sure there will be a bunch of other eligible bachelors there.”

So this is what she’s getting at. Find Hayley a mate so she’ll stay. Smart girl.

“Yeah, no. That’s not my thing, Wanda.”

“Have you ever been to one of Tony’s parties?” Wanda persists. 

“No.”

“Then you have to go. To this one at least. He gave you the personal invitation--”

“It was more of an order,” Hayley corrects her. 

“Same thing with him. Just go to this one. You might have a good time and god knows you need to unwind,” she teases. 

“I don’t have a dress,” Hayley says thinking that would end this ridiculous conversation. She was so very wrong.

“Let’s go shopping!”

“Oh no,” Hayley whines. 

“Stop it! You’re as bad as the boys when Nat and I try and take them out to get new clothes. Now come on, Friday is only a couple of days away. I’ll be going,” Wanda adds. There’s so much hope in her voice that Hayley relents. She’s starting to slip, letting these people dictate what she does and when. She can’t walk away from Steve, can’t tell him no, and now she can’t tell Wanda no. It’s this place. She needs to get out. 

That hurts her. That thought actually makes her heart ache. What about Steve? She’d miss him…

“There’s a place in Lower Manhattan that has great dresses. We can go there first,” Wanda says making plans for the two of them. “Meet me in the lobby. I need to grab my bag.”

“Yeah. I have to grab my card,” Hayley says. Wanda is so excited she’s nearly jumping up and down. She must not get out much either. 

Hayley heads to her room. She’s confused by the conflicting emotions she has. She doesn’t want to stay...does she? What about Steve? And Wanda is trying so hard...But how long till they’ve had their fill and move on, leaving Hayley in the dust? How long till they throw her away?

=================================================================================================

“I’ve heard some rumors, kid,” Bucky says as they head back towards the living quarters. Steve shrugs.

“About Hails and me, right?”

“Hails?”

“Nickname,” Steve answers with a sheepish grin.

“Steve, look me in the eye and tell me you don’t have feelings for this girl,” Bucky says stopping, grabbing Steve by the arm, and forcing him to face him.

“She’s just a friend. Jesus Christ! I can’t have one close female friend?!”

Bucky lets Steve go and throws his hands up in surrender.

“I’m just asking. I’ve heard everything from the two of you have been seen sneaking in and out of each other’s quarters to you were caught going downtown on her.”

“Going downtown,” Steve mutters. 

“Muff diving, eating her out, tasting her taco…”

“Oh my god, stop!” Steve groans. “I get what the hell you’re talking about. I was not doing that and have not done that.”

“Do you plan on it?”

“I swear to god, Buck…”

“Just friends,” Bucky repeats. 

Steve gives him a heated look.

“No one questions Natasha and Clint’s relationship. No. One. But I have a friend who happens to be a damn and the whole fucking place goes nuts.”

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, Steve. I just wanted to hear it from you, that’s all,” Bucky says relenting. He decides pressing the issue further isn’t a good idea. If Steve says that he and  _ Hails _ are just friends that’s all they are. Steve would tell him if he had some kind of romantic interest in this girl, Bucky is sure of it.

“Change of subject,” Bucky says as they start walking again. “Sam showed me how to get tickets to a game at Citi Park. Mets are playing, but I don’t remember against who.”

“I wish they’d just left Shae Stadium up. This new naming convention is stupid,” Steve gripes. 

“Agreed. I miss the Dodgers,” Bucky says. Steve laughs a little.

“Dem Bums,” he mutters. 

“The Mets are almost as bad,” Bucky says thoughtfully. Steve laughs more.

“I’ve seen. Not quite the same, though.”

“We’ll stop and get you hotdogs, kid.”

The grin on Steve’s face is hysterical. 

“Remember when we ran out of money that one time we went to see the Dodgers play?”

“Which time?”

“Well there was the time you had to show off to that dame and win her a stuffed bear and we had to walk home--”

“Wait a minute,” Bucky interrupts, “we? If I remember correctly I had to piggyback you halfway home.”

“I couldn’t breathe, asshole. I was recovering from pneumonia.”

Bucky laughs. 

“Then there was the time you were starving and we ended up spending all our money at that street cart getting hot dogs,” Bucky reminices. 

“God,” Steve sighs as he remembers, “I was so hungry I ate like four of those things.”

“And nearly puked afterwards because you ate too much,” Bucky reminds him. 

“What time is the game?”

“Starts at five.”

“It’s just after three now. Are you sure you’re up to going?” Steve asks. Bucky nods his head. 

“I’m alright. You want to tell Hayley you’ll be with me?” He didn’t mean for it to be insulting, he wants Steve to show the girl some courtesy. 

Steve seems to consider this. 

“FRIDAY, please let Hayley know I’ll be with Bucky and I’ll catch up with her later.”

This is not what Bucky had intended for him to do.

“Hayley is currently out with Agent Maximoff. I will deliver the message once she returns,” the AI responds. 

“You couldn’t send her a text?” Bucky asks as they get to his door.

“I never gave her my number or got hers.”

Bucky is very surprised by this. 

“I’ll see you in about thirty minutes,” Steve says walking off. Bucky nods and goes into his quarters. 

Steve never gave her his number. Rumor has it he spent the night with her. He’s been drawing her like crazy. He insists that they’re just friends. It doesn’t add up. It just doesn’t, but Bucky takes Steve at his word. 

=================================================================================================

Hayley is walking back to her quarters carrying the dress box and several smaller bags from her shopping excursion with Wanda. It’s late and she’s tired. Wanda had her all over Manhattan today. Training is less grueling than keeping up with Wanda, but Hayley has to admit it was actually fun. She tried on dresses, shoes, they went to Sephora and had someone slather makeup all over them, they went to a nice little bistro and sat outside while they ate and drank. It was nice. It was really nice. 

FRIDAY had notified her that Steve would be  _ indisposed _ for the night. She figured as much. Bucky’s back and they want to hang out. She wonders what they got into.

“Hails!”

She stops in her tracks and turns around. She sees Steve and Bucky coming towards her. Steve’s eyes widen when he sees all the stuff she’s carrying.

“Did you go shopping?” he asks.

“Jesus, Steve,” Bucky laughs. 

Hayley looks at the stuff she’s carrying and then back at Steve.

“Yes, sir.”

“No. Stop. It’s just Bucky. Speaking of--Bucky this is Hayley Stone. Hayley this is James Barnes,” he says introducing them. 

“Bucky,” he says correcting Steve and smiling timidly. 

“Hi,” she says softly. 

“Where did you go?” Steve asks trying to take the bags from her. 

“Wanda forced me to go shopping.”

“Ohhh,” the guys say together. They sound apologetic to this circumstance. 

“It wasn’t bad,” Hayley laughs. 

“What did you get?” Steve questions. Bucky shakes his head at his friend.

“I had to get a dress for Stark’s party.”

“You’re going?” Steve asks. He’s trying to see what’s in the bags. Hayley catches Bucky shaking his head like he’s embarrassed by Steve’s behaviour. 

“I was told I had to.”

“By who?” Steve demands. 

“Stark.”

“I’m going,” Steve tells her. Hayley can’t help but wonder if Steve will ask her to go with him. She’d like that. 

“Are you going?” she asks Bucky. He’s so quiet and closed off. Is this normal?

“No.”

The awkward silence is back. Hayley shuffles the cargo she’s carrying trying to keep it balanced. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Hails,” Steve says and smiles warmly. He slaps Bucky on the back.

“Goodnight, Ms. Stone,” Bucky says quietly as the two men walk away. 

“Goodnight, Steve, Sergeant Barnes,” Hayley says. She’s a little perturbed by Steve’s seemingly off behaviour. She opens the door to her quarters and puts the cargo down. She dwells on the interaction she had with him as she hangs up the dress and puts everything else away. 

Why did it bother her? Did she really expect him to be as affectionate as he usually is in front of his friend? Why would he do that? 

Hayley lies awake most of the night trying to convince herself she’s reading too far into this.

=================================================================================================

Friday rolls around and Hayley has only seen Steve in passing. He waved and smiled, but that’s the extent of it. She convinces herself he’s busy and that she’s being a fucking moron for expecting him to just drop everything to hang out with her. Besides, Bucky is his friend, too, as are Sam and the others. She’s not his only friend. Not by a longshot. Just because he’s her only friend…Does Wanda count as a friend?

She’s nervous. She’s stupidly fucking nervous. She can’t remember the last time she was this nervous. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror in the red, ankle-length dress, her hair done up, makeup on point, and she’s shaking like a leaf. Why? 

“Agent Maximoff is at the door. Would you like me to let her in?” FRIDAY asks. 

“Sure,” Hayley answers. Even her voice is shaking. She puts on the matching red heels she bought and steps out into the living room. Wanda is in a deep purple cocktail dress, her hair done up loosely, and Vision is in a tux, looking rather snazzy. 

“You look fantastic!” Wanda gushes. She walks over to Hayley, takes her hands and makes her spin a little so she can look Hayley over. 

“Doesn’t she look amazing, Vis’?”

“She looks lovely,” Vision replies. Hayley is sure he’s just saying that because Wanda seems so happy to see Hayley like this. 

“I told you red would look killer on you,” Wanda says with a smug grin. “Come on, let’s go see what’s happening.”

They head up to the penthouse. Hayley fidgets nervously, running her hands over her dress, toying with the bracelet she’s wearing, shifting from one foot to the other. Wanda takes her hand and squeezes it.

“It’s okay. Don’t be nervous. They’re probably mostly drunk by now anyway,” Wanda jokes. This doesn’t make it any easier for Hayley. 

They step inside the penthouse and there are people everywhere. It’s an assassin’s wet dream. 

“Wanda! Agent Stone!” Tony bellows. Wanda takes her hand and drags her to Tony. Tony is drunk. It’s obvious. Virginia Potts is beside him looking mildly amused by Stark’s antics. 

“I told you, Pep, she’s the new agent and she’s a fucking dynamo in red. Look at that. Go find a guy and dance with him, Stone. Loosen up those thighs a little.”

“Tony!” Pepper hisses and slaps his shoulder. 

“What?”

“Excuse me,” Hayley says as Wanda and Pepper start to talk. She heads for the bar thinking (hoping) a drink or several will settle her nerves. 

She orders a drink and looks around. She sees Banner and Romanov chatting it up. There’s the God of Thunder regaling some story from Asgard and amusing the cluster of people around him. 

Then she sees Steve and her heart sinks. 

He’s with a lean blonde she recognizes as Sharon Carter. She has her hand on his chest and the two of them are laughing. She sees Steve lean in closer to her and Sharon laughs more. She slides her hand down his chest and Hayley forces herself to look away. 

She and Rogers are just friends. She has no business being jealous. None. 

That doesn’t make this any easier to deal with, though. 

“There you are,” Wanda says appearing next to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Bad headache. I thought it would go away, but…” she says with a weak shrug. She hopes Wanda buys it, but if she doesn’t oh well. Hayley wants out of here. 

“Do you want me to take you to medical?” Wanda offers. 

“No. No. I just need to crash for a while.”

Wanda nods and is thankfully distracted by Vision long enough for Hayley to make her escape. She doesn’t look at Steve. She makes every effort not to look at him. She just needs to get out of here. 

Hayley gets back to her quarters and then her world just falls apart. She cries almost nonstop. She’s so fucking confused as to what is happening. Why does this hurt so much if they’re just friends? Why should seeing him with someone _who he obviously_ _likes_ cause this much pain? They’re just friends. He’s been so fucking insistent about this fact. _We’re just friends. Just friends. Just friends._

WHY DOES IT HURT??

Hayley collapses onto her bed and cries herself to sleep.

=================================================================================================

Steve had gotten a glimpse of someone in red as Sharon was telling him some off the wall joke. When he looked again he realized it was Hayley and his heart stopped. She looked fucking phenomenal. She was stunning. She was radiant. Her hair was done in loose waves and pulled away from her face. She had on a little makeup. That dress, though. That dress made her look like a goddess. She was flawless. 

Sharon kept talking about something and he had leaned into her to try and excuse himself, but she wasn’t having it. She had kept talking--clearly drunk--and had run her hand down his chest. He had stopped her before she could go any further and embarrass them both. He excused himself again and tried to find Hayley. She had vanished. He searched everywhere, but couldn’t find her. Then Thor found Steve and there was no escaping after that. 

It’s three in the morning when the party finally dissipates. Steve tries to excuse himself from Thor again and just barely manages to succeed. He heads for the elevator and takes it up. He wants to see Hayley. Why did she leave? Why didn’t she stick around? He wanted to dance with her. Bucky had told him to ask her to go to the party as his date, but they’re just friends…

Right?

He gets to her door and FRIDAY speaks up.

“Agent Thirteen has asked to not be disturbed unless it is an absolute emergency.”

Steve ignores the warning and knocks anyway.

“Captain Rogers,” the AI continues, “Agent Thirteen has specifically asked that she not be disturbed. Is this an emergency I should make her aware of?”

Steve stops and steps back from the door. Why would Hayley do that? Why doesn’t she want to be disturbed? 

She picked someone up from the party and took him back to her room. Steve’s seeing red and his blood is boiling.

“FRIDAY, is Hayley alone?”

“Yes, Captain Rogers. Please do not disturb Agent Thirteen unless this is an emergency.”

“Did she tell you to tell me she was alone?” He knows how desperate he sounds and he doesn’t care.

“No, Captain Rogers. Is this an emergen--”

“No. No, it’s not,” he says sullenly. He shuffles back to his quarters trying to understand why Hayley’s closed herself off like this. 

=================================================================================================

Hayley is in the shower scrubbing the ridiculous makeup from her face and all but chanting that she and Captain Rogers are just friends and will never be anything more than friends. She has convinced herself that he can date and flirt with any stupid woman he comes into contact with. He’s entitled to fuck anyone he pleases. Because they are just friends and it’s not her goddamn business who he dates, fucks, whatever. 

“Agent Thirteen, Director Fury would like to see you ASAP.”

She hopes it’s a mission. A long one. Far away from here. The moon maybe. 

She dresses quickly and heads to his office. 

“Since you don’t like working with the new agents I’m sending you out with Sergeant Barnes. It’s not going to be pretty. Barton will fly you out. Barnes will meet you at the rendezvous point and fill you in with any additional information,” Fury states as he hands her the dossier. 

“Yes, Sir.”

“No goddamn turn signal fluid this time. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“You have five minutes to board that jet. Dismissed.”

Hayley runs back to her quarters to get her gear. 

“Agent Thirteen, Captain Rogers would like to speak with you,” FRIDAY announces. 

“I can’t. I have two minutes to get to the hangar.”

She’s shocked she was able to say that because she’s dying to talk to him and...and....

“And nothing,” she hisses at herself. “Just friends. Not you’re goddamn problem who he’s fucking.”

“Captain Rogers insists it will only take a minute.”

“That’s all I have left,” she says throwing open the door. “Please tell Captain Rogers it will have to wait.”

=================================================================================================

Steve is pummeling the heavyweight bag. Pummeling is an understatement. Abusing would be a better word. 

He’s upset. He’s confused. He’s pissed off. He’s a lot of things. Mostly confused, though. Why did Hayley lock herself away? Why did she leave the party early?  Why wouldn’t she talk to him? Wanda says Hayley told her she had a headache, but Wanda didn’t look like she believed it. Maybe she did. Maybe she’s still recovering from that gash to her pretty head and she’s been hiding the fact that she’s still injured. 

That’s dangerous and stupid. He has to see her now. He doesn’t give two shits if she’s still under  _ do not disturb _ or not. 

He grabs his gear, barely acknowledging the other agents that talk to him as he passes. He gets to Hayley’s door and pounds on it, much the same way Buck beats on his door. 

“Hayley!”

“Captain Rogers--”

“FRIDAY, I don’t give a shit if she’s asked not to be disturbed,” Steve snaps. 

“Actually, Hayley is not here. She left almost two hours ago,” FRIDAY informs him. Steve drops his head against her door. 

“FRIDAY, is Hayley fit for duty?”

“That is a question for Doctor Banner, Captain Rogers.”

Steve calls Bruce. 

“This is a surprise,” Bruce jokes. Steve cuts to the chase.

“Is Hayley fit for active duty again?”

“Wow. Hello to you, too. Yes. She’s healed. She’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“I have to base it on what she’s telling me and my own observations, so yes, I’m sure.”

“Thanks, Bruce.”

“Want to talk about it?” Bruce offers. 

“No. No I really don’t,” Steve replies and hangs up. 

=================================================================================================

Clint drops Hayley off at the rendezvous point. She doesn’t see Barnes. This doesn’t bode well. It’s starting to snow and she has limited information on where the target is and where they’re supposed to be. 

She hears movement and slips behind a few barren trees. A bird whistle. That’s his signal, Clint told her. She peers out and catches sight of him. He’s hunkered down which means…

He’s being hunted and now she is too.

The snow is coming down harder making visibility crap. Instincts had told her to go with the white all weather tac gear. She’s glad she followed them. She pulls her hood up, covers her mouth with the scarf and slinks over to Barnes as quietly as possible. 

“Stay down, doll,” he says through clenched teeth. He’s holding his side and she can see red pooling between his fingers. 

“How deep?”

“Possible through and through. Can’t tell. Are you armed?”

She shows him the array of weapons she has strapped to her body. He grins in approval. 

“Good girl.”

She rips open a pocket on her jacket and pulls out bandages to try and stave off the bleeding. He groans as she prods him, clenching his jaw to keep from yelling. 

“Bullet is lodged,” she tells him. “Just need to plug the hole. This will hurt.”

She crams gauze into the open wound and he tenses and whines, his fists smacking the ground in agony. 

“Done. It’ll hold for now. We need to get you out of here.”

“Stay low. Do you see any movement?”

“Negative.”

“Maybe I lost them,” he says trying to load a clip into his gun. His hands are soaked in blood and he’s shaking from the cold and blood loss. She takes the gun, snaps the clip into place and gives it back. He clutches his side and with a little help from Hayley, Barnes is on his feet again. 

“Which way?” she asks. He points and they start moving. 

It’s only a matter of minutes before Hayley sees movement on either side of them.

“We’ve been spotted. Shit,” Barnes growls. “Run, doll. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Not without you, Sir,” she says defiantly. She pushes him in front, he grabs her hand and they run. He’s practically dragging her. The snow is blinding and everything is a haze of white now. 

“They’re corralling us, Sarge!”

“I know! This way!”

He yanks her hard to the left and into the trees again. The trees are getting thicker, stark trunks against the snow gray skies. There’s a small opening ahead. Hayley’s got a bad feeling about this. 

They hit the open area and she and Barnes fall on their asses as they hit the frozen pond. The ice starts to crack. It’s not solid enough to hold their weight. 

“Go! Move!” he yells at her. She’s scrambling to get to her feet when she hears the ice break. It sounds like thick glass. Barnes vanishes into the water.

“Barnes!”

She slides across the ice on her stomach trying to spread her weight out as much as possible. She sees his hand shoot up from the depths of the icy black water and latches on to him. He’s a heavy motherfucker and Hayley pulls in all the reserves she can muster to help Barnes out of the water. He lands on top of her and the ice starts to crack more. 

“Slide with me,” she says as she pushes them across the ice and back towards the trees. His teeth are chattering and he’s going to end up with hypothermia if they don’t get him out of those clothes and warmed up fast. 

They get to the trees and she pulls Barnes to his feet. His lips are turning blue as are his fingertips.

“Come on, Sarge! Stay with me!” she snaps at him. The dazed look leaves his blue eyes and he nods. 

“Where is the safe house?”

“B-back th-the other w-way,” he says through his chattering teeth. Fuck. 

That pond was man made which means there has to be someone around here with some kind of shelter. 

Hayley scans the area quickly. There’s a worn path between the trees, barely noticeable in the snow but it’s there. She puts Barnes’ arm over her shoulders and drags him down the path. As hard as it’s snowing Hayley hopes it covers their tracks quickly. 

“I c-can’t…”

“You have to, Barnes. I’m not leaving you out here to freeze and god knows what,” she growls at him. He’s shaking so badly he’s barely able to walk. She’s running out of time with him and she knows it.

The gods smile upon them finally. Haley sees the outline of an old hunting cabin ahead. 

“Come on,” she grunts, dragging Barnes down the path. They get to the door and Hayley kicks it open ready to shoot the first asshole that blinks wrong at her or Barnes. 

No one is home.

She closes the door and peers out the window. She can’t see anything for the snow. 

“Strip.”

He’s shaking so much he can’t. Hayley starts peeling his clothes off as fast as she can while Barnes does his damndest to not collapse. She sheds her coat and wraps him it as best as she can. There’s firewood stacked by the tiny mantle. This place was used within the past few weeks it seems. She throws wood into the fireplace and then digs out matches from her coat that Barnes is in and starts a fire. She hunts around the tiny living space pulling blankets from the cots, the sheets, a dust cover from the futon and wrapping Barnes in them. He’s still shaking.

“Get out of those briefs.”

“N-no.”

“You want to freeze to death or do you want to just suck it up and deal with your dick swinging for a while?”

He swallows nervously and unravels himself enough to take off his soaked briefs. She throws everything over a few chairs and sets them by the fireplace to dry. She checks the windows again and secures the door. It’s a total whiteout now. There is absolutely no visibility outside. She helps Barnes to the futon and wraps puts her arms around him. Body heat. He needs to warm up but she can’t shock him by just dumping him in front of the fireplace. 

She holds onto him, rubbing his arms, his back, working her way down his legs after a while. 

“Hayley.”

“Sir?”

“Don’t  _ sir _ me, doll. I’m bleeding. I need to unwrap and get to that.”

She’d forgotten about his gunshot wound.

“Fuck. Hang on,” she says pulling the layers off of him. She drapes the blankets and sheets over the half of his body that doesn’t have the gunshot wound and keeps his legs and manhood covered. 

“That slug is in there pretty deep, Sir.”

“Can you get it out?”

“It’s going to hurt like hell,” she says looking into his eyes. There’s a flash of pain and then his eyes fill with resolve. 

“Do it.”

She grabs her gear and pulls out her first aid kit. She gets the surgical forceps and looks around. 

“There’s a kettle by the fireplace. Use that to boil water,” he tells her. She grabs it and looks around for a kitchen or something that would have a sink. There’s nothing. There is no indoor plumbing in here. 

“Always a motherfucking catch,” she growls. 

“No plumbing right?”

“None, Sir.”

“Get some snow. Fill it full.”

She heads outside, weapon in one hand, kettle in the other, eyes open for anything that doesn’t look like snow. She packs the kettle full of snow and notices that their tracks have been filled in. There’s some good news.

She goes back inside and hangs the kettle on the hook in the fireplace. She pulls what other tools she has and lays them out. 

He’s still shivering. This won’t be easy. 

The tea kettle starts to whistle and Hayley finds a way to pull it out of the fireplace. 

She looks at Barnes who knows he’s at her complete mercy. 

“I’ll try and stay still. Do what you can, doll.”

“Bite down on this,” she says giving him a wooden spoon she found. He clamps it in his teeth and braces for what’s to come. 

The bullet was in deeper than she thought and digging it out was a fucking nightmare. Barnes barely kept from screaming, biting down on the spoon as tears streamed from his eyes. There’s blood everywhere, but the slug is out. He nearly snapped the wooden spoon in half in his mouth, though. 

She finishes cleaning him up and stitches the hole shut. He’s still shivering. The cabin is warmer now, much, much warmer, but she can feel the cold radiating from his prosthetic arm. Hayley knows that’s what’s keeping him from warming up. 

“I have an idea, but you need to tell me if you’re not down with this.”

“Fire away,” he mumbles. 

“Heat more water, douse the sheets in the water and wrap your arm up to your elbow in the sheets.”

He blinks. 

“Don’t make it boiling.”

“I won’t.”

“Do it, doll.”

She gets more snow and heats up the kettle again, watching for the first signs of steam before removing it. She takes one of the sheets and balls it up then pours the water onto it. She burns her hands a little trying to wring out the excess and get it wrapped around his arm. 

“Let me see,” he says taking one of her hands in his own. “Just stings, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

He nods and tries to cover himself up more with the remaining blankets and things. Hayley helps him. She goes to her gear and pulls out what little food rations she keeps packed. She opens one and brings it to Barnes.

“You have to eat.”

“I’ll just puke it up.”

“You’re certain of this?”

He studies her for a moment. 

“Try, Sarge.”

He’s pale. Very, very pale.

“I’ll heal in a few hours--”

“You’ll heal faster if you eat something. I’m not stupid, I know about the serum.”

He’s shocked at her tone. Hayley’s too tired to sugarcoat this shit anymore and too out of sorts to care. This is Steve’s best friend. If he dies while she’s with him Steve will never forgive her. 

“I didn’t say you were stupid, Hayley. Based on what you’ve accomplished since being dropped off you’re pretty fucking smart and pretty damn good at adapting.”

“Then eat,” she says shoving the rations at him. He grunts angrily and bites into it. He does end up gagging and Hayley’s stupid heart takes over. 

“Here,” she says handing him a bottle of water. “Slow and easy.”

She takes the ration bar from him and waits for him to take a few sips of the water. 

“I’m alright,” he says, but he doesn’t sound alright. He looks like he’s going to faint.

“Stay with me, Sarge,” she says taking his hand and squeezing it. He sways a bit and tries to focus on her. 

“Bucky.”

“Stay with me, Bucky. Talk to me.”

He huffs out a small laugh.

“You don’t want to know about me, doll. I suck.”

“Is that why Steve is so fond of you?”

“Steve doesn’t know any fucking better.”

“I’ll take the bait. Why doesn’t Captain Rogers know any better?”

“You know he  _ hates _ when you call him that.”

“It was his rule. Only in private do I call him Steve. Never in front of the other agents or recruits, never on a mission.”

Bucky shakes his head. 

“He’s never worked with you, has he?”

“Nope.”

“I know you worked with Natasha.”

“Agent Romanov? Yes.”

“Steve said you two got the job done in half the time they gave you. That’s pretty fucking good, doll.”

She laughs. 

“What?”

“You keep calling me doll.”

“I’m not doing it to offend you.”

“You aren’t. It’s just...you remind me of those old black and white movies with James Cagney.”

Bucky laughs. She gives him a smile. 

“Tea!”

“Yuck.”

“Stop fussing. If I can find a mug you’re drinking some.”

“I’ll puke.”

“I’ll make you more.”

“Stubborn much?”

“You’re one to talk, aren’t you?” she fires back. He blinks at her and furrows his brow. She finds a mug and fills it with hot water and then drops the tea bag into it. He takes the mug in a shaky hand and sips it. His face contorts at the taste of it and he looks pleadingly at her.

“It’s something to help warm you up. How’s the chill in your arm?”

“Still there. We can take the wet sheets off.”

She unwinds the sheets from his arm and drapes them over some exposed beams. 

Movement outside catches her eye and she heads to the window, her weapon drawn.

“Hayley?”

“It’s a deer. Big fucker with a huge rack.”

She hears the futon squeak and looks to see Bucky shuffling towards her. He’s a few steps away when his legs give out. She catches him (just barely) and takes him back to the futon. 

“Nice catch, doll.”

She pushes his dark hair from his face and fixes the cover. He’s damn near exposed himself. 

“Don’t want to see the goods, doll?”

“Don’t tempt me, Barnes.”

He laughs a little and sips more of his nasty tea. She wraps him up a little better and then checks on his clothes. His shorts are almost dry but his other clothes are still saturated. 

“Tell me about you and Steve before the war,” she says when she sees him trying to fall asleep. He opens his eyes and grins a bit.

“What do you want to know, doll?”

“What was it like back then?” she asks sitting on the floor in front of him. He shakes his head no.

“Sit on one of the cots.”

“Too far away to catch you if you decide to fall over.”

“Then sit next to me. I don’t bite.”

“Says the White Wolf.”

“Says the Stone Leopard. I know what they call you, Hayley. I’ve heard the shit they say about you.”

She drops her eyes from him. 

“That’s all it is is shit,” he continues. “I’ve seen your file, too.”

“I don’t think there’s anyone on your team that hasn’t at this point.”

“You’re part of the team aren’t you?”

“I’m a temporary solution to the gap in your roster. I am there until such time as I am no longer needed and then I will be reassigned as necessary.”

“How many times have you heard that bullshit that you’re able to repeat it like that?”

“A lot.”

“Yeah. I can tell.”

“Tell me what it was like. This conversation sucks.”

He starts to laugh. 

“You don’t like talking about yourself, do you, doll?’

“Do you?”

“You’re asking me to.”

“Fair enough.”

“James Cagney, huh? You watch those movies, doll?”

“Of course I do. I love those movies. Everyone was so fucking…” she gestures with her hands searching for the words, “so gorgeous. I guess. I mean...the men had this swagger to them and this masculinity but they weren’t above treating a girl like a million bucks and the women were fierce and beautiful and just amazing.”

Bucky has a huge grin on his face. He shivers and nearly drops the mug. Hayley gets up and takes it from him. 

“Do you want more?”

“No. It’s rancid. Tastes like somebody shat in that cup.”

“Dear god,” she mutters and then laughs. “That’s as bad as that shitty Scotch Steve tried to get me to drink.”

Bucky starts laughing. 

“That supposed $500 bottle of shit Stark gave him?”

“That’s the one.”

“Steve says it’s the good stuff. I told him it tastes like somebody boiled underwear and bottle it.”

“Are you always this graphic?” she asks and then laughs when he shrugs. 

“Look, I know a good Scotch when I taste one and that shit ain’t it, doll.”

“Steve says you cook.”

“Steve has a big fuckin’ mouth.”

She laughs more. She wonders if Bucky is like this because he’s injured or if this is really him. 

“Do you?”

“Do I what? Cook? Sometimes. When the mood strikes me.”

“Anything in particular?”

“Steaks. Eggs. Steak and eggs.”

She’s seeing a resemblance to Steve here. 

“Steak and eggs. Okay.”

“I made the kid a pecan pie for his birthday once.”

“Awww…”

“Don’t aww me, doll. I should have thrown it at him. He ate the whole fucking thing and didn’t share it.”

“Do you two argue a lot?”

“We aren’t an old married couple.” 

He shivers again and pulls the blankets tighter. She sits next to him and tries to figure out how to get him warm. The sun is setting and it’s going to get real cold real quick outside. 

“Give me a minute. Take this. I’m going to get more wood from outside,” she says handing him her weapon. 

“Shit. I need to oil mine down--”

“I’ll take care of it as soon as I come back in with more wood.”

He nods and she heads outside. It takes her almost ten minutes to find the wood pile she’d seen earlier and find her way back into the cabin. It’s now dark and the snow is falling thick and heavy. She’s covered in it. 

“Go stand by the fire,” he barks at her when she walks in. She shakes off the snow she can and drops the wood next to the hearth. 

“Why the hell didn’t you take your jacket?!”

“You’re using it,” she answers calmly. She pulls his weapon from it’s still wet holster and begins to dismantle it. He watches intently and she knows that if she makes one mistake he’s going to call her on it. 

She oils it down, cleans it, oils it again, and puts it back together. 

“You’re good, Hayley. It’s been a while since I’ve seen an agent take care of a gun like that.”

“I don’t know what the hell they’re training the newbs to do, but it isn’t how I was trained,” she says, handing it to him. He checks it over and grunts in satisfaction.

“Newbs,” he repeats with a smirk. 

“Still cold?” she asks dropping more wood into the fire.

“Yes. And tired.”

“You lost a lot of blood and the cold bath you took didn’t help matters. You don’t look as pale and fainty as you did,” she says looking him over. 

“I had a good doctor patch me up.”

“Yeah, no, you didn’t, but thanks. Think you’re okay to lie down and get some sleep?”

“What about you?”

“I’ll keep watch. Maybe in the morning you’ll be feeling better and I can catch a few zzz’s before we head out.”

“If we can head out. Based on how covered you were we may be stuck for a while.”

“True. Try and rest, Bucky.”

He carefully lays down on the side that doesn’t have the gunshot wound. She sees his jaw clench as he tries to get comfortable. 

“Stop,” she says taking the blankets off of him. “Cover your boys.”

He drops his hands to his crotch and she covers him again with the sheets and blankets. This time she keeps her coat. She makes sure his feet are covered and then takes her hat and shows it to him.

“To keep your head warm,” she says. He smiles meekly and sits up enough for her to pull it down over his ears. He lays back down and closes his eyes. Hayley gets up and sits by the window on the shitty little cot. It’s pitch black outside and there’s a draft coming through the window. She puts her coat on and listens to the wind howl for a while. 

A whimper brings snaps her out of her half dozing state. The fire is down to almost embers. She stirs up the embers and drops more of the wood she brought in onto the fire. It snaps and sizzles because it’s wet. She can see Bucky shivering in the light of the fire. His eyes are barely open and they’re red. He’s either crying or he’s running a fever.

“Bucky?”

Another soft whimper. She walks over to him and reaches her hand out to touch his head. He flinches away from her, terror flooding his eyes. He’s in a fever dream. The heat is just baking off of him. 

“It’s okay. It’s okay. Can I see your wound?”

He shakes his head no, mutters something unintelligible in Russian. 

“Bucky, do you remember who I am?”

He shakes his head no at first and then his eyes start to clear.

“Hayley.”

“Yeah. You know I won’t hurt you, right? I just want to help.”

“They won’t let you.”

“Who? Who won’t let me help you, boo?” 

He whimpers and forces his eyes shut. More Russian. Something about the keeper and the chair. Jesus Christ. He thinks he’s back in Siberia with HYDRA. This poor boy.

“Bucky, you’re with me. Open your eyes, boo.”

He slowly opens his eyes. They’re glassed over and his pupils are dilated.

“Who am I?”

“Hayley. Steve’s friend.”

“I’m your friend too.”

“No. Just Steve’s.”

“Can I be your friend?”

He nods his head.

“Can I see your wound?”

“No. They’ll find me.”

“I’ll blow their fucking brains out if they do.”

A hint of a smile on his lips now. 

“Please?” she asks, reaching for him again. He cringes, clamping his eyes shut like he’s waiting for her to strike him. She caresses his cheek and he opens his eyes. He’s still scared, but he starts to shift and move the blankets. He forgets he’s not wearing anything and Hayley is greeted by the sight of his package lying limp on his leg. She moves the blankets to cover him down there. She checks the gunshot wound. It’s red and angry looking but it doesn’t look infected. Maybe this is how his body is dealing with the combo blood loss, hypothermia, and open wound. She touches the outside of the sutures and he gasps in pain.

“I don’t want to go in there. Not again,” he whimpers. “Please....”

“Shhh,” she says covering the rest of him back up. He shivers and balls himself up. Hayley gets him some water and finds the Tylenol stashed in her gear. 

“Bucky.”

He opens his eyes slowly. 

“Take this, it’s going to help.”

He sits up enough to take the pill from her and down a few sips of water before he slumps over again. She closes the water and he whimpers again. 

Steve has nightmares. Bucky went through more shit than Steve did and Hayley can’t begin to imagine the things that torment Bucky. Especially in his condition now. She gets up and shimmies behind him on the futon, putting her arm around him and pressing herself against his back. She’s hoping all he needs is some extra warmth. 

“Hails.”

“Right here, Buck.”

“He likes you because you’re nice.”

“Go to sleep, Bucky.”

“He’s right.”

“Shh.”

He scoots back closer to her and she can feel the heat coming off of him through the shitty blankets and sheets he’s wearing. She prays to whatever deity will listen to let this be what he needs. 

=================================================================================================

Bucky wakes up and looks around. His clothes are hanging over some crappy looking chairs. He’s on a futon with no clothes on covered in musty smelling blankets, sheets and what the fuck is this? A couch cover?

He feels movement behind him and freezes. A soft sigh on his neck reminds him that Hayley is behind him. Hails. 

He’d gotten shot, fallen into a fucking frozen pond and somehow the two of them ended up in here. 

He pulls the covers back to try and look at his wound. She stirs a little and he moves a little slower, she’s obviously asleep. 

“Buck?”

Or not.

“Hey, doll.”

“Bucky, what’s wrong? Where are you trying to go now?” she asks sitting up and putting her hand firmly on his shoulder. 

“Go now?” he asks.Her hand is on his forehead in a flash, soft and cool. 

“No more fever,” she says sounding relieved.

“Where’d I go, doll?” he asks. She slides out from behind him and he tries to sit up. His side catches for a second and she’s next to him trying to help. He’s starting to understand why Steve is so fond of her. 

“What do you remember?”

“Getting shot. Falling into the drink. You coming back looking like a fucking snowman after you went out to get some wood. Drinking that rancid shitty tea.”

She smiles.

“What about Steve’s Scotch?”

“That $500 shit?”

“That.”

“Don’t drink that anymore, doll. It’ll eat your insides.”

She laughs lightly. He sees the crinkles around her eyes that Steve had captured in his sketches. She does shine when she laughs. 

“Where’d I go?” he asks again.

“Nowhere. You tried to, though. You were in the throws of a really bad fever dream. Tried telling me in a combination of Russian and English that you had to find Steve before he told the Army he was from Paramus.”

Bucky starts to laugh. 

“I missed the boat on that one, doll.”

“I thought he was from Brooklyn.”

“He is.”

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“Oh yeah.”

She laughs a little more. 

“Can I see your wound?”

“I’m not wearing anything...you’ve already seen it all, though, haven’t you?”

The rise of color on her face makes her look like an angel in that all white getup she has on. He can’t believe Steve just wants to be friends with this girl.

“You kind of had me at a disadvantage when you threw the covers off of yourself and tried to save Steve from saying he’s from Jersey.”

“Bet that was a sight to behold,” he mutters. She grins.

“Your clothes are finally dry. Can I check that wound, Sir?”

“Don’t go back to calling me sir after you’ve seen me in all my glory. That just makes this really fucking weird, doll. Pretty sure I told you to call me Bucky.”

There’s a hint of a smile there. 

“You’re stalling,” she says. 

“Can I at least put my drawers on?”

There’s a flash of fire in her eyes and that color on her cheeks intensifies for a second. She gets up and grabs his briefs for him. He sees the blood on her pants and jacket. That better be his and not hers.

“Are you hurt, doll?” he asks as he pulls his briefs up under the blankets. Once he’s covered his jewels he pulls the covers off. 

“No. This is from last night,” she tells him as she drops to a squat in front of him and starts examining his side. Her touch is soft but firm. Her hands are cool, not cold, just cool. 

“That’s fucking impressive,” she mutters. 

“How’s it look, doc?”

“Like you’ve been stitched up for a few days. The wound is already starting to seal. Doesn’t look infected,” she says moving his arm so he can see a little better. 

“It’s the serum. And you. You saved my life, Hayley.”

She shakes her head no. 

“I was delirious, Hayley. That was a triple hit I took. Thank you,” he says. He’s eternally grateful that she was able to keep her wits about her and save him. 

“We need to eat and see how the fuck we’re going to get out of here,” she says changing the subject. She’s not one for compliments it seems. 

“Let me fill you in on what I learned before shit went to hell,” he says. “Once you’re caught up we’ll see if we can move out."

 


End file.
